1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrical enclosures and, more particularly, to interior assemblies for electrical enclosures, such as load centers. The invention also relates to electrical enclosures.
2. Background Information
Electrical equipment such as, for example, relays, circuit breakers, electric meters and transformers, are typically housed within an electrical enclosure such as, for example, a housing, such as a box or cabinet, to protect the electrical equipment.
A load center, for example, is a type of electrical enclosure which serves to distribute power for residential or commercial applications. Typically, a load center includes a housing enclosing a number of electrical switching apparatus (e.g., without limitation, circuit breakers) for protecting branch circuits against electrical faults or overload conditions. The circuit breakers are electrically connected to a bus assembly, which includes at least one line bus and a neutral bus. The line buses may contain terminal lugs to facilitate the attachment and removal of the circuit breakers. Traditionally, the foregoing components have been separately mounted with the housing of the electrical enclosure and then electrically connected to one another. However, such a design fails to make efficient use of the available space within the interior of the housing, thus necessitating an electrical enclosure which is larger than desired.
In an attempt to reduce the overall size of the load center, one prior proposal has been to provide the aforementioned components in the form of a separate sub-assembly. Specifically, the components are first coupled together and then mounted as a unit within the electrical enclosure housing. Although this design has generally resulted in the components being mounted closer together, thus enabling the overall size of the electrical enclosure housing to be reduced, significant room for improvement remains. Specifically, such sub-assemblies are relatively complex in design and require numerous fastening mechanisms, first to secure the various components of the sub-assembly together, and second to mount the sub-assembly within the housing of the electrical enclosure. There is also further room for improvement to make such interior assemblies even smaller, and more economical to manufacture and assemble.
There is a need, therefore, for an interior assembly for electrical enclosures, such as load centers, which is capable of accommodating a plurality of circuit breakers within a minimal amount of space, yet which is relatively easy and cost-effective to manufacture and assemble.
Accordingly, there is room for improvement in electrical enclosures, and in interior assemblies therefor.